Can-testing machine.



G. B. & G. D. MGDONALD.

UAB TESTING HAUIIIHE. urmonrol ruw our. x1. una.

wm @4m C. B. G. D. McDGNALD. UAH 'HSTING ULOHIHE. armonici unan 001.11. nos.

945,573. Patented Jan 4, 1910. 2 IHREN-IEEE? i.

nu n annum mouw mann-n u n UNITED STATES OFFICE.

CHARLES B. HcDONALD AND CHAR-LES D. McDONALD, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, LB- SIGNORS '10' KcDOIll'LD MACHINE COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. A COBPUB- TION 0F ILLINOIS.

CAN-TESTING MACHINE.

Specification o! Lettenlont.

Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

Fo all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES B. 13116D05- .inii and Cinemas I). McDoNALD, both citizens of the United States, both residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Can-Testing Machines,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can testers of the general style shown and described in application Serial- No. 436,009, tiled June 1, 1908; and the ob'ect of the present. invention is to sim" lify tie mechanism described in said app calicn by eliminating all of the pressure uctuated devices, save one, thereby ensibling all of the cans carried by the testing ivheetto be brought successively into register with a sin le ressure actuated device, which is adapte to e influenced by a. reduction in pressure below the normal, 1n such manner as to discard defective cans at a predetermined poiiit in the travel of the testing wheel.

The invention further relates to certain improved features in the construction and operation of the pressure actuated mcchan' ism, and in the means employed for bringing hthe cans successively into register therewit Further objects will appear from a detailed description of the invention, which consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is u sectional elevation of the pressure actuated mechanism in released position; Fig. 9. a similar View of the same. showing the parts in cngagcd position; Fig. 3 :in cud elevation of the cani head on the actuating pin; ["ig. 4 :i face view of the i-ei'oluble cam; Fi 5 si sectional view of the cone bearing fingir the testing wheel, together with portions of thc win-el; Fig. (i a cross sectional view of the same; and Fig. 'i' :in enlarged detail of one of the sealing heads.

ln describing the features of the present invention, it is not deemed necessary to enter into u full description of the construction und arruugcu'ient of the testing wheel, the selling heads and the can discharge chute, all of which are full if described iu thc application previously referred tri.

As shown in Fig. 1, the testing wheel comprises a rim 8, which is connected with a hub 9 iy means of spokes 10. The hub is keyed to e shaft. 11, which shaft is journaledwitliin a iixedl mounted cone 1:2, which cone is surroun ed by a ring 13 which is beveled on its inner face to fit tlie cone and which is secured to s,- I'lange 14 on the hub, by means ot bolts, or in any other suitable manner. These features are fully described in the application referred to, and further description is deemed unnecessary.

The cone has formed therein an air slipply passa 15, which receives air under pressure rom a pipe 16, and the air supply passa e is adapted to register with any one of. a p urality of passa es 16 which com` municate with a series o sealing heads 1.? by means of sections of rubber hose i8. In order to equalize the amount of air suplied to each can, each of the air passages ending to the sealing heads has entered thereinto an adjustable check valve 18. It. will be understood that each of the saab ing heads is thus provided with a pipe which is adapted to receive air under pressure from the main suppl at a suitable point in the revolution of t e wheel. Each of the sealin heads 17' coperates with n clamping hea 18l adapted to be actuated by means of suitable links and levers 19,- actuated by cams or other like mechanism.- The method of actuating these clamping heads is fully explained in the application above referred to.

In addition to the pressure supply passage, the cone is provided with an outlet passage 19*` which communicates with a tester pipe 20 leading to the pressure actuating tester 21, which more especially forms the subject mattei' of the present invention. The supply passage is so located as to lill euch of the cans with air pressure immediately after its engagement hy the clamping head, which pressure, thus supplied, will be retained within the can, if ilie latter be perfect, until the passage 16'L has almost completed its circle of travel, and is brought into register with the outlet passage 19'* which commiv iicates with the testing device. If, dui-in the coarse of its travel, the. can has allow l ii reduction of pressure, due to leakage, this fact will be recorded by the tester and suitable mechanism set in action, whereby auch defective can will be thrown ont at 'a suitable point of discharge.

The testing mechanism of the present invention is inclosed within a box 22, and is in character as follows: The pipe 20 cornmunicates with n bowed tubular gage spring 23 of the usual character, which is adapted to expand or straighten under the influence of pressure, as shown in Fig. 2, its normal curvature being indicated in Fig. 1. The free end of the spring has pivoted thereto a link 24, which engages the short arm 25 of an L lever 26 which is pivoted at its elbow 27. The lever 26 abats against a spring 26l carried by a slide plate 2&3", which is adyustably mounted within a guideway 26". 1`he osition of the slide plate can be adjusted y turnin a thumb screw 26d, which can be lock in adjustable position by means of a jam nut 26. The long arm o this L lever reatly exceeds the short arm in length, so t at very small variations in the position in the free end of the bowed gage spring will be magnified man times at the end of the long arm of the lever. The L lever is connected by means of a rod 28, with a trip finger 29 which is pivoted to a bracket 30 at a int near the upper end of the finger, w ereby movements of the rod 28, imparted to the shortend of the pivoted iin er, will be magnified or accentuated at the ong end of such tin er, which is provided with a hook 30* whic is adapted to engage a lug 31 which outwardly pro ects from the end of an actuating pin 32, w ich is slidably mounted within a sleeve or guideway 38 and is rovided, on its lower end, with a cam hea 34, whose side face 35 is flattened in the form shown in Fig. 3, and is adapted, when the pin is dropped, to enga a spring supported pin 36 w ich outwar y projects from the inner face of a cam wheel 3T. The cam wheel is in the form shown in Fig. 4, and is provided, in addition to the in 36, with a stop pin 38 which lies sli htly nearer the center of the cam wheel. 'he cam wheel is mounted upon a shaft 39, driven by means of bevel pinions 40, or other suitable gearing, at, such speed that the cam wheel will be completely revolved by the passage of euch cam. In other words, if the tester wheel is provided with forty sealing heads adapt ed to receive forty cans, the cam wheel will be revolved forty times during the revolution of the tester wheel. The cam wheel is adapted to engage an inwardl extending pin 41 on the actuating pin, an thc formation of the surface of the com is such that the actuating pin will be raised slightly with each revolution of the cam wheel.

The spring supported pin 36 is adapted to engage the upper end of a lever 421 which in pivoted at the point 43 and is adapted to acmate a discharging runway like that shown in the application previously referred to. The upper end of the lever normali underlies thc pivoted catch fin r 44, whic i is held in engagement with the ever by means of a spring 45. The catch linger is provided with a depending tooth 46 which, when the lever 42 is thrust back, as shown in Fig. 1, will hold the lever against the return movement until the revolution of the cam wheel has brought the stop pin 38 under the end of the catch linger 44 which rises as the stop pin pa thereundier and allows the lever 42 to resume its normal position.

In use, the cans are fed in succession to the tester wheel in any suitable manner, and are successively clamped in position against the sealinfr heads. Each can in turn receives its charge of air under pressure and is carried around to practically a complete rev olution until the can is brought mbo communication with the tester. 1f the pressure within the can be reduced, by leakagez the gage spring will be moved from the position shown in I1 ig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1, which movement is made possible by a slight lifting of the actuating pin with each revolution of the cam wheel. As the pin is lifted, the hook 30 on the trip linger 29 will be released from engagement with the tooth 31, which allows the parts to assume a position shown in Fig. 1, vand allows the actuating pin to fall by gravity, so that its cam head 35 will occup a position within the course of travel of t e sprin supported pin 36. W'hen said pin is broug t into contact with the cam surface 35, it will be thrust back against the lever 42, which lever will be locked against a return movement by the catch finger 44. This movement of the lever 42 serves to actuate suitable discharging mechanism, preferably of the style shown in the application previouslp referred to, whereby the defective can wil be thrown out and dischar d. If, on the other hand, a perfect can be rou ht. into register with the tester, the proper egree of pressure will be maintained 1n the ga spring, which will be bowed as indient in Fig. 2, so that, when the actuating finger is raised by the revolntion of the cam wheel, the trip finger 29 will maintain its same position und engage and suspend thc actuating pin after it has been released by the cam wheel.

In testing cans of different sizes, it is noc essary to regulate the degree of pressure of the lever 26 so that. regardless of the size of the cans being tested, the lever will have just a sullicient amount of movement to eil'ect thc suspension of the pin 32; and, in order to adjust. the mechanism to suoli varying con '.litions.l and revcntan excess of movement which wonl carry thc hooked n cr 30* too far under the tooth 31. the m iustn screw is provided by the regulation of whic t sealing heads,

the operator can equalize the movements unl der all conditions.

The invention is one which greatly simpliy lies the construction of a can testing mal chine, in that all of the testing is done by the same mechanism, which can thus be maintained in a perfect state of efficiency at all times, and is a much more satisfactory method of making the test than by' providing each of the sealing heads With its own individual testing mechanism, which unnecessarily complicates the machine and greatly increases the possibility of disarrangement or mal-adjustment of the parts.

The testing mechanism is one which is able to detect very small leaks, which would ordinarily not be detected by the usual meth- .ids employed in can testing, and at the same time the work will be performed rapidly and automatically.

Although a bowed gage spring has been described and illustrated as the means for detecting variations in pressure, it is obvious that other means could be employed to effect a similar result, so that, unless otherwise specified, it is not the intention to limit the claims strictly to the use of a bowed gage spring of the character described.

IVhat we regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In a can testing machine, the combination of a tester wheel provided, around its rim, with a plurality of sealing heads and clamping heads, pipes connecting the sealing heads with the hub of the wheel, a bearing for the hub provided With inlet and outlet passages adapted to be brought into comn1unication with the pipes leadin to the sealing heads, means for admitting tie fluid under pressure to the inlet passage, a testing device in communication with the outlet passage, said testing device comprising mechanism movable by changes in pressure, and a lever connected with said pressure actuated mechanism adapted to accentuate or magnify the movements thereof, a trip finger connected with said lever, an actuating pin adapted to be engaged by said trip finger and held elevated when cans of a selected type are brought into register with the testing device, and adapted to release the pin when cans of a different type are brought into register, and means actuated by movements of the actuating pin for throwin out defective cans, substantially as describe 2. In a can testing machine, the combination of a tester Wheel provided, around its rim, with a plurality of sealing heads and clamping heads, pipes connecting the sealing heads with the hub of the Wheel, a bear ing for the hub provided with inlet and outlet passages ada ted to be broughtinto communication Wit the pipes leading to the means for admitting fluid under pressure to the inlet passage, a testing device in communication with the outlet passa re said testin r device'com risin r a mechl fs e s anisn'i movable by changes in pressure, and a lever connected with said pressure actuated device adapted to accent nate or magnify the movements thereof, a cam wheel adapted to be rotated with the passage of each can, a pin on said cam wheel adapted to be brought into engagement with the actuating pin when the latter is released b v the. trip finger, and means actuated by the movement of said pin on the cam wheel for throwing ont cans of' a selected type, substantially as lescribed. v

3. In a can testing machine having sealing heads and clamping heads, a testing debovved tubular vice comprising a gage spring, a lever connected with the free end of said gage spring, a trip finger connected. with the lever, an actuating pin normally adapted to be supported by the trip finger, and means actuated by movements of the actuating pin for discharging defective cans, substantially as described.

a. ln a can testing machine, a testing device comprising a bowed tubular gage spring, a lever connected with the free end of said gage spring, a trip finger connected with the lever, an actuating pin normally adapted to be supported by the trip finger, a cam wheel adapted to be revolved by the passage of each can, a spring supported pin carried by the cam wheel and adapted to be moved when engaged by the released actuating pin, a lever adapted to be engaged by said pin, a catch adapted to engage and hold the lever when released by the pin for actuating the can discharging mechanism, and a stop finger on the cam wheel adapted to release the lever from engagement by said catch, substantially as described.

5. In a can testing machine having sealing heads and clamping heads, a testing device comprising a member adapted to be moved by changes in pressure, a lever having a long arm and a short arm, the latter being engaged by said pressure actuated member a trip finger connected with the long arm of said lever, an actuating pin adapted normally to be engaged by said trip finger, a cam Wheel in engagement with the actuating pin and adapted to raise the same with each revolution sufficiently to permitdisengagement of the trip finger, a spring supported pin carried by the cam Wheel and adapted to be engaged by the end of the trip finger when released, and means actuated by the engagement of said pin for throwing out cans of any selected type, substantially as described.

6. In a can testing machine having sealing heads and clamping heads, a testing device com rising a member adapted to be moved by c anges in pressure, a lever adapted to be actuated by the movements of said member,

means for regulating and limiting the movements of said lever, a hooked trip linger connected with said lever and adapted to be actuated thereby, a pin adapted to be engaged and held b y said hooked linger, and mechanism actuated by the movements of said pin, for throwing out cans of a se lected type, substantially described.

7. ln a can testing machine having sealing heads and clamping heads, a testing device comprising a member adapted to be moved by changes in pressure, a lever having a long arm and a short arm, the latter being engaged b v said pressure actuated member, means for adjusting and limiting the movements of the long arm of the lever, a trip linger connected with the long arm of the lever, an actuating pin adapted to be normally engaged by said trip finger, a cam wheel in engagement with the actuating pin and adapted to rise with each revolution sullicient to permit disengagementV of the trip finger, a spring supported pin carried b v the cam wheel and adapted to be engaged by the end of the trip linger when released, and means actuated by the engage ment of said pin, for throwing out cans of a selected type, substantially as described.

8. ln a can testing machine having sealing heads and clamping heads, a testing device comprising a member adapted to be moved by changes in pressure, a lever having a long arm and a short arm, the latter being enengaged 'by said pressure actuated member, means for adjusting and limiting the movements of the long arm of the lever, a trip finger connected 'with the long arm of the lever, an actuating pin adapted to be no1'- mally engaged by said trip linger, a cam wheel in engagement with the actuating pin and adapted to rise with each revolution sui'licient to permit disengagement of the trip finger, and means carried by the cam Wheel for effecting the discharge of cans of a selected type, substantially as described.

CHARLES B. MCDON ALD. CHARLES l). MCDONALD. lWitnesses:

SAMUEL BANNING, lamina BANNING. 

